The Gang Gets a Frozen Four Bid

The NCAA announced the two recipients of Frozen Four bids today. Pittsburgh, in the brand new Consol Energy Center, will host the 2013 Frozen  Four, while Philadelphia and Wells Fargo Center(formerly known as Spectrum II, CoreStates Center, First Union Center, and most recently, up until July 1 of this year, the Wachovia Center...seriously, I've seen rappers with fewer aliases.) will host the 2014 Frozen Four.

Pittsburgh was pretty much a given from the get-go, with a brand new arena and a burgeoning hockey market bolstered by recent success of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Philadelphia's winning bid can be considered a bit of an upset. Philly tried very hard for a Frozen Four bid last time Frozen Fours were handed out, and ended up getting turned down. Assuming transportation doesn't end up being an issue and people aren't just stuck in a giant parking lot all weekend, it could be a pretty nice venue. Scholar Bill Burr gives his rebuttal to the selection(Note: Probably not safe for work, or anywhere else for that matter).

I'm a little surprised that the Frozen Four will be headed to Pennsylvania two years in a row, but taken individually, each city should provide a great venue, so I can't see any need to spread them out.